Invoicing

Since 27.11.2020, the e-invoice regulation obliges public clients, such as DB, to demand electronic invoices in XRechnung format from their suppliers. 

Our optimised invoice processing shortens the time it takes to process your invoice and allows your invoice amount to be paid in accordance with the contract. The quality and transmission method of your invoice are key factors for timely processing 

Please send us your invoice preferably electronically as an XInvoice, unless any exceptions listed in the menu item "Invoice transmission" apply. 

The required tax information in accordance with the current version of the Value Added Tax Act must be provided. 

An invoice refers to exactly one order only (no collective invoices for several orders). 

Invoice supporting documents are to be embedded as additional documents, further information on this can be found in the menu item "Information on XRechnung". 

The invoice must contain the following information: 

• Invoice recipient with the complete address
• Recipient of the goods or service with the complete address 
• E-mail address of the ordering party
• currently valid order number, if available
• Date or time period of the delivery or service 
• Invoice line item number (consecutive) 
• Designation of material / description of delivery or service 
• Delivery note number 
• Billed quantity with unit of measure 
• Price per unit and total price of the item 
• Currency (ISO code, e.g. EUR, CHF, USD) 
• Terms of payment and IBAN (BIC) 
• Delivery conditions according to INCOTERMS  
• If applicable, account assignment details provided by the ordering party 
• If the quality requirements are not met, we reserve the right to return the invoice unprocessed. 

(Download: Sample order) 

(Download: Tax requirements) 

(Download: Additional notes) 

Regardless of the obligation for public principals, we as Deutsche Bahn would like to and will exclusively accept XRechnung as the preferred electronic invoice format - with only a few exceptions. 

• Submit your invoice / credit note to the following e-mail address: e-invoicing@deutschebahn.com 
• Make sure that your submitting email address is able to receive replies, as you will receive a response for invoices / credit notes. 
• The e-mail must be unencrypted and should not be digitally signed. 
• Only one xml file in the XRechnung format can be processed per e-mail, you will find further instructions in the menu item "XRechnung information". 
• Invoice attachments must be embedded in the xml document. For XRechnung, a maximum of 200 attachments can be embedded in the xml document. 
• The total size of the e-mail including the xml file cannot exceed 50 MB. 
• Texts in the e-mail are not processed, all relevant information is contained in the transmitted file. 
• Please do not send us a document more than once without request. 
• You do not need a declaration of consent to send the XRechnung to DB AG. 

Exceptions of the XRechnung 

• PDF format 
  You can send us reminders (including a copy of the invoice) in PDF format (unencrypted). The first page clearly identifies the document as a reminder. Please create a separate PDF file for each reminder. Please provide us with invoice attachments to the reminder as an attachment in the PDF document. For PDF invoices, a maximum of 5 attachments can be embedded in PDF format. Other formats are not permitted. The name of your PDF file does not contain any special characters (|"<>?*/ :\). Only one PDF file per e-mail is permitted. The total size of the e-mail including the PDF file is a maximum of 20 MB. 
• Invoices with DB taxi/hotel/meal vouchers 
  Voucher invoices must be accompanied by the original vouchers, therefore these must always be submitted by post 
• Invoices from the DB Marketplace order channel 
  The standard cXML (SAP Ariba) applies - the vouchers are transmitted unchanged. The e-mail address e-invoicing@deutschebahn.com is not to be used for these settlements. 
• Invoicing via ELFE (Djinvoice) 
  For telecommunication invoices, the invoicing format remains the previous billing channel ELFE (Djinvoice). The e-mail address e-invoicing@deutschebahn.com is not to be used for these invoices. 

As of 27.11.2020, Deutsche Bahn and its subsidiaries are legally obliged as public contracting authorities to demand electronic invoices as an XRechnung from their suppliers. (Ordinance on Electronic Invoicing in Federal Public Procurement (E-Invoicing Ordinance - ERechV) 13.10.2017). 

Therefore, as Deutsche Bahn, we are switching to XRechnung as our preferred invoice format.

• The Federal E-Invoice Ordinance states that e-invoices must always be submitted as an XRechnung. 
  An XRechnung is a specified form of an e-invoice. From a technical point of view, the XRechnung is an XML-based semantic data model. It is the German application specification of the European CEN data model and thus the national standard for public administration. 
• The XML file in the XRechnung format represents the invoice. An invoice in PDF-A format is not an XRechnung. 
  It is the responsibility of the invoice issuer to ensure that PDF and XML contain identical information. 
• Defined business rules for mandatory and optional information must also be observed for delivery to Deutsche Bahn AG, analogously to the central invoice receipt portal of the Federal Government. 
• All requirements according to the menu item "Quality requirements for invoices" must also be complied with when creating the XRechnung. 
• In the event of any deviations from the above-mentioned specifications, the invoice will be rejected and returned to the submitter. The invoice must then be resent after it has been corrected. 
• If you have any questions regarding the implementation of XRechnungen with Deutsche Bahn, please send an email to SSCDE-KBH-Redaktion@deutschebahn.com. 

In our FAQ you will find detailed information on the topic of XRechnung. 

Using the XRechnungsgenerator to create an XRechnung is optional and free of charge. This is primarily aimed at our suppliers who have problems with the conversion to XRechnung because they are missing the necessary infrastructure. 

• Link to the XRechnungsgenerator: http://xre.deutschebahn.com/ 
• Credentials:
  Username: db 
  Password: xrechnung
• Manual (download)
• FAQ 
• The use of the XRechnungsgenerator is voluntary and free of charge. It can only be used for invoices to Deutsche Bahn. 
• The creation of an XRechnung is done by filling out a web form. 
• Attachments in the form of documents accompanying the invoice (e.g. timesheets) can be embedded in the XRechnung in the web form. Permitted formats for attachments are PDF, PNG, JPEG, CSV, XLSX and ODS. A maximum of 200 attachments can be embedded. 
• You can download the created XRechnung in as an XML format via the button "XRechnung  speichern". In addition, you can display and save the invoice as a readable PDF with the button "Visualisierung anzeigen". 
• After you have checked the received invoice, send only the XRechnung as an XML to e-invoicing@deutschebahn.com. The e-mail with attachments must not exceed 50 MB. 
• Once you closed the current browser session no data will be saved. However, you can use the previous XRechnung as a template by uploading the XML. 

Hereinafter, you will find general information regarding the delivery and the construction invoicing procedures via XRechnung, the new invoicing format.

The following PDF will assist you with detailed information on how to fill in the necessary fields to generate a suitable invoice file which will be in accordance with the general XRechnung requirements.

Information on security retentions

Security retentions are applied based on the contractual regulations between the client and the respective contractor (supplier). They are used to secure the contractual execution of the service and warranty.

It is important to note that a payment reduction of the client always requires an unambiguous and clear agreement in the contract or must result from the priorly agreed terms of the respective contract.

In addition to that, it is an essential prerequisite to specify an explicit order number on the invoices to ensure a correct and timely processing within the accounting department.

For this, please refer to this information sheet.

Special certificate: 

Proof for resellers of natural gas and/or electricity for the purpose of the recipient's liability to pay tax 

DB Energie GmbH: Download